PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gonzalo Barnett (ranked 6743 p4p, 0 weight class) and Miguel Cunha (ranked 24144 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Barnett
vs
Cunha

210 cm
18
214 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

160 cm
21
200 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gonzalo Barnett!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Miguel Cunha!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Felipe Paraventi and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cunha darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Cunha throwing shots but Barnett is blocking nicely.

Cunha gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Cunha closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Cunha lands in his opponent's guard.
Cunha pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Barnett is keeping the position for now.
Cunha should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cunha is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barnett is striking from the bottom but Cunha uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Cunha is trying to control the action in half guard but Barnett is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Cunha is just content to waste time from the top position. Barnett takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Cunha looking to sit in guard and control but Barnett gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Barnett stands up from Cunha's guard - Barnett perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cunha closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Cunha lands in his opponent's guard.
Barnett wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Cunha manages to pass to side control.

Cunha is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Barnett sees it coming and defends easily.

Cunha is looking for a kimura but Barnett is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Cunha to get the leverage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cunha is trying to control the action in half guard but Barnett is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Cunha has eaten all the pies!
Cunha is thwarting Barnett's attempts to control the position.
Cunha is trying to control the action in half guard but Barnett is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Barnett is trying to maintain the position but Cunha is very close to passing his half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cunha performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Barnett is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Cunha's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Cunha's back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Barnett is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Cunha has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Barnett is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Cunha knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Cunha for a finish.
Cunha wants to control his opponent's hands but Barnett gets his hands free.
Barnett lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Cunha.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Barnett working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Cunha is really stuck here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Gonzalo Barnett will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Barnett misses with a two punch combination.
Barnett tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Barnett misses with a head kick.
A head kick misses from Barnett.
Barnett misses with a head kick.
A head kick misses from Barnett.

Cunha scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Barnett wants to control but Cunha is keeping busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cunha controlling the action here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cunha not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Barnett really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cunha content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Cunha not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Cunha looks to land a strike but Barnett avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Cunha looking to sit in guard and control but Barnett gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Cunha is pulling down on Barnett's head. It's preventing any offense from Barnett, at least for the moment.
Miguel Cunha has got the better of the ground game so far.

Barnett stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cunha feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Barnett has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Cunha has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

Cunha drags the fight down to the ground.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Barnett with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cunha pulls Barnett in close to prevent any damage.
Cunha looking to control.
Cunha lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Cunha postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Barnett will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cunha tries to free his leg and advance position but Barnett is retaining full guard.

Cunha gets to his feet. Barnett looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Cunha blocks a head kick by Barnett.

Cunha clinches up against the cage.
Barnett is trying to pull guard but Cunha turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Cunha.

Cunha breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Barnett tries to keep at a distance but Cunha has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cunha breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Barnett looks to land a combination but Cunha avoids it well.

Cunha shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Barnett trying to control the position.
Cunha stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Barnett swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cunha must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cunha sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Barnett has a closed guard, preventing Cunha from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Miguel Cunha showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Cunha gets a clinch.

Cunha escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Cunha fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Barnett to the ground. Cunha is now in Barnett's guard.
Cunha throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Cunha engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cunha's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cunha wants to control from the top but Barnett keeps moving.
Cunha would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Cunha won't allow Barnett to sweep him here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Barnett gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Cunha to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Barnett utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barnett is trying to hold Cunha in close to prevent damage but Cunha has managed to pass into half guard.

Cunha stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Barnett to get to his feet.

Cunha changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Barnett looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Barnett is not content to let Cunha control the position.
Barnett dodges the ground and pound from Cunha.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnett defending against the ground and pound.
Barnett wants to control but Cunha postures up.
Cunha wants to take a breather but Barnett manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Cunha.
Cunha showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Cunha stands up from Barnett's guard - Cunha perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Barnett gets caught flat footed, as Cunha shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Cunha looking to pass the guard.
Cunha trying to control but Barnett is working from the bottom.
Cunha has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cunha with a flurry of punches that miss.

And that's the end of the fight!
Miguel Cunha comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cunha has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Miguel Cunha!